The Board of Directors of the Association of Railway Museums has spent the last several years developing, implementing, and refining a strategy plan to address long-term planning and growth. ARM’s strategy plan has become a working, evolving document over the last several years, but one important component from the very beginning has been the goal of better serving railway heritage through the continued growth and health of the organization. ARM has already built strong synergies with the American Association of Museums and the Tourist Railway Association Incorporated; through continued growth and diversity of representation, ARM can only strengthen its advocacy and leadership role, particularly in working with AAM to define collections care and management standards for large object collections and operating industrial and transportation heritage collections.

However, growth of the organization, as well as planned increases in the level of services and assistance offered by ARM and the changing demands and opportunities provided by new technologies, require more resources be directed towards the administrative management of the organization. Since the inception of ARM, dedicated and overworked volunteers and near-volunteers receiving only small stipends have managed the administrative aspects of ARM, including membership processing, recruiting, and renewals, mailing database development and maintenance, and communications with present and prospective members.

As technology has changed, so, too have the levels of expectation of membership as well as the resources required to deliver those expectations. In this increasingly digital world, membership-based organizations are expected to provide web- and email-based information and resources and virtually instant email communication. Most of us can attest to how much more time is spent on the computer rather than saved by it thanks to the “digital revolution,” and the administrative management of ARM is no different in its demand for time and resources.

Recognizing the need to provide the resources necessary to enhance membership services and develop the administrative infrastructure needed to bear the responsibility and opportunities of membership growth, the ARM Board of Directors has created a Request for Proposals for Association Management Services to be made available to member and non-member institutions, individuals, and firms. In creating this RFP, the Board has defined the responsibilities of the administrative management of the organization and developed a process whereby interested institutions, individuals, and companies may submit proposals to be considered by the Board of Directors in the course of selecting an association management provider.

The entirety of the Request for Proposals for Association Management Services may be found on the ARM website at http://www.railwaymuseums.org or obtained by contacting Molly.Butterworth@railwaymuseums.org or at (314) 965-7998 x18. Please provide your name and address information. The deadline for submitting proposals is August 15, 2006, and we strongly encourage any and all interested parties to consider submitting a proposal for consideration. The role provides an opportunity for institutions, non-profit friends organizations, individuals, and retirees to earn income while serving the needs of the Association of Railway Museums.

Announcement posted by Hume Kading at the request of Molly Butterworth.

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